I use this as an introduction activity for my middle school A/V Broadcasting class. I present a really quick overview of film and then they pick a topic with a partner. We take 2-3 days to research and build our presentations and then we take 2-3 days to present our findings. It's a quick introduction to the different periods of film, plus it allows me to see/hear all of my students before we start making videos.

I've included my rubric, which can be easily added into your LMS platform.